5 Favorite Ways to Organize a Special Education Classroom

I am excited to introduce this week’s guest blogger, Rachel from Engaging Early Learners to talk about how to organize your classroom. One thing you should know about her is that she LOVES organizing. She always love finding the best ways to organize any and all of the different things we have in our classroom!

I am going to be sharing my TOP 5 favorite ways to organize with you. 

Now, I know that these methods might not work in your classroom, but I am hoping that they at least inspire you to organize your materials in the best way possible for you and your students. 

#1: RAINBOW DRAWERS

I use rainbow drawers for a lot of things. I use them to store my small group materials by day, small group materials by subject, math centers, and student supplies! The rainbow drawers are great because they store everything in a systematic, but cute, way!!

Check out the pictures below to see each of the things I listed above. I get these drawers from Michaels. The metal set with 10-drawers is much cheaper and linked HERE. I like the plastic 8-drawer set too because they are larger and easier to slide in and out. They are linked HERE (currently sold out).

Reel about rainbow drawers: LINK

#2: BINDERS

I love to use binders for anything I possibly can. Pretty much any worksheet or document that I have is in a binder. Using binders and page protectors helps me keep everything at an arm’s length. I also have digital copies of all of these things, but there is just something about having it printed in person. Use the black binders from wherever I can find them at the lowest price. I always make sure to get D-ring binders with a clear sleeve to put a cover and binder spine. I have found great deals on binders on Amazon, Target and Walmart.

#3: FILES

Although most of my paper things are in binders, we also use hanging files for some things. My co teacher and I keep all of our math curriculum materials in a file cabinet. I also keep all of my progress monitoring materials for my special education students in a small file cabinet by my desk. Both of these are pictured below. I love file cabinets because everything is super organized BUT hidden!

#4: MINI ERASERS

My students are always engaged when they have activities involving mini erasers. They are inexpensive and available in a wide variety of shapes and styles. Thanks to the dollar section at Target, I knew I needed a new way to organize and store allllllll of the mini erasers I own! 

The snack containers from Dollar Tree offer the perfect storage solution. I sort my mini erasers by season. The photo case containers from Michaels will hold 23 of the snack containers! This allows for maximum storage, ideal for shelves in a classroom. I can fit 6 of the photo containers on one of my shelves! This storage hack is a game changer for my classroom organization. To read more about this storage hack click HERE.

#5: BOOK AREA

My co teacher has accumulated a LOT of books over the past 20 years. We found a way to organize them in a systematic, but aesthetically pleasing, way. We have our bins organized by level AND theme. This isn’t typical, but because she has so many books it is the best way to do it. Each bin has a number on it and all of the books that belong to that bin have the same number inside the cover. This makes it SUPER EASY for my students, co-teacher and I to keep the book area organized! 

Before I go, I just want to explain that I am no expert. The way I do things in my classroom might not be the best fit for you and your classroom. I want to remind you to keep your best interest and the best interest of your students at heart when choosing how to organize all your materials. You know your students and their needs best! If anything, hopefully this blog will inspire you to organize and stay organized this school year. Use my ideas if you think they might work for you OR maybe they will spark a new idea for you to use!

Want to know more about how to organize your IEP data, click here!